Le pôle de recherche FM Global

La science au service de la prévention

Incendies, explosions, simulations d’ouragans et de tremblements de terre sont le quotidien du pôle de recherche FM Global, le plus avancé au monde dans le domaine de la prévention des sinistres.

Les enseignements tirés des essais en conditions réelles menés par nos équipes vous aideront à préparer et protéger vos installations avant qu’un sinistre se produise.

Chacun des quatre laboratoires ultramodernes est dédié à un domaine spécifique : technologie incendie, risques naturels, risques d’origine électrique et essais hydrauliques. Les expériences réalisées permettent de mieux comprendre les risques étudiés en en visualisant toutes les composantes dans un environnement sécurisé et contrôlé. Le pôle de recherche accueille également les fabricants qui souhaitent faire tester leurs produits avant leur lancement, sur la base des exigences de sécurité et d’efficacité les plus strictes.

FIRE TECHNOLOGY LAB

Testing the Leading Cause of Property Loss

Your company can’t replicate a warehouse-size fire on demand. You’ve got our Fire Technology Laboratory for that. The lab is the centerpiece of the Research Campus, and the largest facility of its kind. Its scale enables our researchers to understand what causes structural failure, how fast fire spreads, and what sprinkler protection is needed. Multiple tests can be conducted every day, so we don’t have to wait long for results. Small labs are used for smaller-scale burn testing. Water tank and pumps can replicate any facility conditions, and a closed-loop water system is used for continuous cleaning and recycling.

NATURAL HAZARDS LAB

Resisting the Effects of Mother Nature

Windstorm, flood and earthquake all pose a major threat to your property. Fight back by understanding what causes building material to fail, and the best ways to design buildings to resist the effects of Mother Nature. Our Natural Hazards Laboratory can simulate hurricane-force winds and hailstorms. A “debris cannon” can determine the impact resistance of your doors, windows and wall panels. An earthquake “shake table” replicates earthquakes of all intensities. We can even test the effects of the sun’s UV radiation on your building materials.

ELECTRICAL HAZARDS LAB

Keeping Electrical Ignition Sources Safe

If your facilities run on electricity, they’re already at risk. In fact, electrical ignition sources are one of the top three causes of fire and explosion in buildings containing flammable gas, liquid and combustible dust. In our Electrical Hazards Laboratory, we test equipment to ensure it won’t ignite dust or any type of gas during normal operation or under fault conditions. This helps you protect your properties from explosion or other catastrophic loss.

HYDRAULICS LAB

Testing Fire Protection Systems

With the right sprinkler protection, you can prevent devastating losses due to fire. Our Hydraulics Laboratory replicates your fire protection systems and conducts tests, so you can be sure your devices will work as intended when properly installed and maintained. The lab houses both wet- and dry-lab test areas, where engineers and technicians perform various hydraulic, mechanical and environmental tests on fire protection system components and related devices, such as sprinklers, couplings and valves.